Christopher

Name pronunciation: KRIS-to-fur
Origin of name: Greek
Meaning of name: bearing Christ, carrier of the Anointed One

The Story Behind This Historical Christian Baby Name

There are several legends attributed to St. Christopher, but almost no factual or historical records for the original “Saint”. The legends say Christopher was a giant Canaanite (18 feet tall), originally named Reprobus, who was looking to serve the mightiest king of all. So he served a Canaanite king for a while, but then noticed the king acted afraid at the mention of the devil. So he went looking for the devil and found a bandit who called himself the devil. However, Christopher noticed that the bandit would avoid crosses, and discovered he was afraid of Jesus Christ.

After asking around where he might find this Christ, Christopher found a hermit who instructed him about the ways of Christianity. Christopher decided to serve God by helping people across a dangerous river, where people often died trying to cross. One day a child asked for help to cross when the river was high with floodwaters. Christopher attempted the crossing, and found the child to be far more heavy than he looked.

He finally made it to the other side, and told the child, “You were so heavy! It was as if I carried the whole world across the river!”

And the child replied, “You didn’t carry the world, but the maker of it,” and revealed himself to be Christ in disguise.

St. Christopher Carrying the Christ Child, by Hieronymus Bosch, 1480-1490.
St. Christopher Carrying the Christ Child, by Hieronymus Bosch, 1480-1490.

Thus, the name Christophoros, or “bearer of Christ”. And thus, the common reference to Christopher as the “patron saint of travelers”.

Later, the story goes, Christopher visited the city of Lycia and comforted persecuted Christians there and preached the gospel, converting thousands. The pagan king tried to stop him by tempting him with riches and even sent two women to lure him into sin. But he converted the two prostitutes to Christianity, and the king finally had him captured and beheaded. Thus, his status as a martyr.

Variations of the baby name Christopher

Boy names: Christ, Chris, Christoph, Cristopher, Cristoff
Girl names:Christie,Christina, Christine,Christophia, Christi, Chris

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29 thoughts on “Christopher

  1. Soon it will be my son Christopher’s 25th birthday. I was looking for something about his name that really expressed the way I know him to be. This legend may be just that; a legend, however it describes Christopher to a tee! He carries Christ in his heart and is always carrying many through the troubled storms of their lives. Thank you for this beautiful story of my son’s life.

  2. I was researching names and their christian meaning. My name is Christopher but I go by Chris. I just recently recommitted my life to Christ and I am working on building a strongh relationship with Him. I also write poetry and have being doing so off and on for that past 15 years. Lately I have started writing Christian poetry and also working on writing songs from my poetry. I talk to the Lord throughout the day for every day, and He gives me alot of inspiration for my writing. Some things I didn’t even know I had in me. God is good, all the time. My pastor’s wife prophesied over me several years ago to my wife and said that I would be a pastor someday. I really didn’t believe her at the time and I didn’t really know what to think of it until now. The Lord is working in my life in ways I never would have imagined, and now I believe that is a great sign of confirmation of what she said about me. Thank you for reading and God bless you.

  3. I LOVED THE STORY AS WELL. MY SON’S NAME IS SPELLED, K R I S T O F F E R. HE HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH AWFUL TEASING AT SCHOOL. I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO GIVE HIM MORE CONFIDENCE AND BE PROUD OF WHO GOD CREATED HIM TO BE.
    THANK YOU !!! IS THERE A SCRIPTURE REFERENCE FOR THIS NAME?

  4. This is a beautiful piece! I was just contacted lately to share my opinion and give consent to naming my little cousin “Christopher”. He was born in December and in less than 13 days before Xmas. I love this name. Thanks for your great job here!

  5. I absolutely love the name “christopher” it is my son’s name and I love him very dearly he is 2 years old and he is so silly.

  6. Thanks,I’ve always wanted to know the meaning and origin of my name. And it came at the right time, just after I produced my first CD ( album ), so I used ” CHRIST BEARER” as my name.

  7. thank you for this information. This helped me understand why god my heavenly father gave my parents the idea for the name christopher. i am fourteen years old and i plan to live the rest of my life for christ. i am tring to start a group of people with a voice that have been raped,abused,durgs. They are people that have had it ruff and i believe with all my heart they are the people that will help change this genration

  8. I love the name Christopher. It is my name. I was named well. Christ is in me and I love Him to death. Christ bearer. Jesus is so good to have given me this name. I love my parents.

  9. i have lived a life of sin, unworthy of Lord jesus’ Help But I have recieved Alhor. through Christ Jusus, And Now Is my mission to Carry People Across that River, And now I want to share with you This Prayer, But do Not simply Read it, You Must Feel it With Your Soul, Said Slowly, Lord, Jesus Christ, Son Of God, Have Mercy On Me A sinner, If you Do Not feel it in your heart Try again. And Again, This will work, Just Believe.

  10. I have been searching for the divine connection to my name and I have got it. Thanks

  11. I always found this ironic about my name. My mother gave me this name for it’s meaning and I turned out to be agnostic.

  12. For a very long time I didn’t like my name. It was the name of my dad who had not played a well part in my life. so I begun to hate my name, but there was someone long ask me did I know the meaning of my name. I said no. they told me to look it up and when I found out my name meant carrier of the anointed one. My life changed and I just wanted to be reminded by looking once more. I love you Christ!

  13. That’s my name and I choosed it because the Holy Spirit instructed me to. Thamks for giving me more information about my own name… and before I forget I’m a new Christian…

  14. Thank you for the information, with this information it bring reformation into my life

  15. I Love The Name Christopher I Had A Dream, About The Name,That My Pastor Gave Me The Name To Bear In My Dream And It Just Suit Me Like My Behavior Thanks.

  16. I was always happy I had CHRISTopher
    in my name. And with meaning as noted about, I an happy.

    I am needless to say a christian and He is in my heart for sure…Thank you !!

  17. Christopher is my name and I’m Jewish and Jesus is the westernized version of the Latin word Lesus which translates to Yeshua in Aramaic and Yehoshua in Hebrew which in English means Joshua he himself wouldnt have known the word Christ as it too is a westernized version of the Greek Latin word Christos meaning anointed one a title bestowed upon him about 150 years after he died. I respect the Christian faith but understand the old Catholic Church rewrote the Greek apostic version of the Christian bible in Latin many centuries ago long before it was ever in English to fit there desires religious servants were very influential amongst the leaders read the original Greek bible translated to English its on the internet a man did write on in the 16th century and was executed for heresy he argued that the common man are equal to the clergy and the word was meant for all man to look upon not just the priesthood who viewed themselves as more importantl than there flock. Me personally I do believe Yeshua was a great man and a faithful Jewish rabbi who wanted to bring about redemption for his people he may have been killed cause he was on his way to rule isreal and erect the 3rd temple on Temple Mount but his execution took away any chance of him being the prophet messiah According to the tanakh Known to Christians as the Old Testament but I’ve read both and the King James Version of the tanakh as well as the gospels in the New Testament and there’s a significant amount of difrentiating words which is an insult to both faiths yours and mine God is made out to be vengeful and punishes sinners harshly the original Christian bible is completely different

  18. Hello, Christopher. There are a lot of details about the Christian and Jewish religions and their sacred texts that people debate. Thank you for stopping by the blog and sharing your thoughts.

  19. i am Christopher. I finally crossed the river.still a bad sinner tho.remember
    Christianity is not a religion its a relationship.you don’t wanna hear; I never new you. grace is where its all waiting.old hymn churches.walk in looking like the prodigal son.see how they treat you.sad but true.love you guys.

    p.s. like my typing?…lol

  20. Hello ..
    I had a dream a few months ago about a man named christopher, he was beside me the whole time and i felt that i needed him but then at the end of dream he leaves me and it scared me . Last night i had a similar dream same people in it except christopher .. somehow i find a letter i wrote to him in the other dream and i couldnt understand it very well but it said
    CHRISTOPHER
    i am the first the second and the third
    It was such an odd dream .. i dont what to understand or think i just thought i could share that .
    God bless .

  21. this is a story of a man named Christopher john William bamber born on the 02/05/1985 his star sign is Taurus the bull an this is how it starts from the day he was brought into this world he showed so much pain and anger for a baby that’s just arrived and cried his mother to sleep for days on end but there was something strange he was incredibly fast strong fearless as he grew older always in Trouble problem child times*10 but he had a massive heart and showed great compassion and desire for love and life witch he came to learn in a most unsuspected way in the early ages of 4 or 5 where he killed for the first time a guinea pig for no reason at all with his anger and something ales that can not be explained as he held the dead guinea pig in his hands he looked at it and was instantly overwhelmed with so much pain sadness and regret and knew nothing of burials but dug a grave for it with a cross and said a prey and cried for forgiveness. he was never taught these things but knew what to do anyway. he also came up with so meany reasons why he should of not done that and why life is special in so meany different ways that you couldn’t Even begin to imagine and kept learning from it for many many years to come all for the wiser and better judgement as time went on he went through meany break ups separation with his family foster care award of the state D.H.S all that stuff and was not at all raised religiously but had a relationship with something powerful and strong and holy that was guiding and teaching but also preparing him for what was to come he did not know what to call it at the start but later on found out it was the holy spirit and the holy ghost our heavenly farther and his son lord Jesus Christ this is just the beginning of very many adventurous stories of this little boy who turned into a intelligent man who has a lot more to grow.

  22. I am honored to have CHRIST in my name. I am a Christian and love my name. I have Him in my heart always!

  23. My name is Christopher, and from a young child I knew that I was something special. I bear Christ in my heart and also my soul and I know that Jesus Christ gave me this name through my parents – Jesus is so good for this as I would not be the same person without it. I truly LOVE my name Christopher and this love for this name goes deep into my soul as Christ is truly within me. I WILL LOVE MY NAME CHRISTOPHER FOREVER!

  24. Thanks for this it means alot to me knowning the meaning to my name like the story the other christophers his posted i wasnt too happy with my name growing up cuz my dad has the same name as me, my mom had a dream of me before she gave birth to me even was told to give me the name Christopher my father too but hes falling into sin his addictions has taken over his life daily im a christain myself now for more then 4 years im 25 now i see why people come to me for help even when there in trouble or even like to be with me they say thay feel safe when there around me thank you alot now i know why and know what my mission is now i love my name thank you Jesus for being there all my life even when i was down and almost die you kept me alive for a reason to help change the world and to love me like everyone else here on this world….

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